Bettors to score big as TAB to accommodate 30 runners

Phumelela Gaming and Leisure Limited is continually looking for ways to make the racing experience more attractive and lucrative for TAB bettors.

In this regard the company is delighted to announce that from today TAB will be able to accommodate 30 runners in all bets as opposed to the previous number of 20. The major advantage of this innovation is that TAB will now be able to commingle many more pools with international hosts than before. In the past, when more than 20 horses ran, TAB had to administer its own pools. The horses numbered from 20 upwards were grouped together and all formed part of a single bet. From now on that will no longer apply and bettors will be able to have a separate bet on every individual runner.

“This is such an exciting opportunity for South Africans,” explained Vee Moodley, Executive Director Sports Betting at Phumelela. “Take a race like the Melbourne Cup, for example. We have had to run our own pools in the past which have been quite small. Now South African punters will be able to bet into an Australian Win pool of around R100 million!

“In the past we have missed out on commingling around 200 races a year. By incorporating 30 runners we will lose maybe just five big races a year. It will give TAB punters more choices and massive pools to bet into.”

With commingling one has to follow the rules laid down by the host countries so in the case of UK racing bettors will be able to take Win, Place, Swinger, Exacta and Trifectas. In Ireland their totes bet on Win, Place and Exactas.

“Can you imagine what a Trifecta will pay out with 30 runners at the Cheltenham Week,” said Moodley.

The tote system will be up and running for 30-runner fields from today but the first race with more than 20 runners might only take place in a couple of weeks’ time.

If a field contains more than 30 runners, TAB will still run its own pools.